It is discouraging, and hurtful when someone you trust turns and hurts you. Who knows that kind of hurt better than Christ!! No that was not a question, and I did not mean it as a question.

Satan has, it seems, sent a full blown attack on the majority of the churches. At least this is what I gather from the individuals i have talked to. There are so many present trials just now--Yet, through it all I believe that God knows what he is doing, and perhaps this is a time of sifting in the church. It just hurts to see some of those who are being "sifted". I will not start here though, let me first start with my precious Pastor.

Forgive me while I brag a moment--now he (my Pastor) would never do this, but I'm not him, so I can brag LOL -- My Pastor is a man with a Godly attitude and a humble spirit about him. I admire and look up to him so very much!! In the trials that are currently presenting themselves before us, this humble spirit and Godly attitude just radiates from him. I wish to have a spirit more like his. He truly does display the Spirit of Christ in my eyes; That is what I see in him anyway. It is, however, disheartening at times when we endure the trials. Through the endurance of these times though, we are able to grow. It is in the valley that we are fed and watered and able to find nurishment and growth. The mountain top is simply where we can see it all for what it really is. Expanding further on that thought, it is where we can appreciate and see the VALLEY we have just gone through for what it really is!! What is that valley, well for me it has most recently been a spiritual growth spurt, and yup it came fully loaded with those *growing pains* as well!!

Now, satan thought he was going to toss something my way that would destroy me. To be honest, my first thought was not far from that either. It backfired on him though, and I let him know it rather quickly!! His scheming and setting traps has only increased and made me more determined to do my best to hold on tightly to God. Today satan bombarded me with heavy fire from negative thoughts. Well, if you want to put the Devil right in his place, I have learned that you should praise the Lord...Praise him in the morning, Praise him in the evening, Praise him in the good times, and Praise him in the bad times, just PRAISE HIM. So everytime a negative thought went flying through my mind, I would lift my hands and sing praise to my WONDERFUL GOD AND KING!! Mind you, there were a few times where I was in a car, driving down the road...so...perhaps it was with eyes still fixed on the road and one hand still on the steering wheel (lol, it may not be a good idea to try it the other way). The point of this is, that again the devil's plan backfired on him. If he wants to put the pressure on then go right on ahead! I cannot say that I will get through it peacably, but I can (and further more I will) say that I am going to get through it holding on to God. The enemy can push me all he wants. He has already pushed me so far down that I wanted to die, even if hell were the eternal ending. Yes, I have been to a fairly low place spiritually/emotionally/physically, and while it is not something I am proud of, I will not deny having gone through it, because in not denying it I also have the opportunity to testify of how GOD BROUGHT ME THROUGH IT!! If I made it form a place of such despair back to a place of determination to live for God; Then NO! There is no way on earth, no way in heaven, that he is going to keep me down. Even when I feel like I cannot get back up, I will show him just how wrong he is, and just how right God is. So yes, perhaps with some of the stresses and trials that he has sent my way I may have been found discouraged, and I cannot deny that this very minute I struggle against feeling downcast, depressed, and extremely discouraged (and what individual at some point in life does not)...but I can feel depressed, I can feel downcast, I can feel discouraged, and still rise up above it all. If David could feel all of these things, and still come to a place where he could dance before the Lord, then I can do it too, and I will!! Dear Lord, I promise I WILL ! ! ! !

So I am going to STAND!! What will you do?

Ending now with a peom, and a song. They have a wonderful meaning. I hope the thought, the beauty of the message, and hopefully the knowledge that we don't stand alone will be of some encouragment to someone besides myself.